Big businesses push Kentucky away from coal

PIPELINES: The U.S. Forest Service is concerned about the environmental impact from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline merging with the Mountain Valley Pipeline. (News & Advance)

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COAL ASH:
• A Tennessee power plant that faces two lawsuits and a lot of unpopularity from residents draws more attention to problems related to coal ash disposal. (New York Times)• The North Carolina attorney general’s office says that Duke Energy’s efforts to recover coal ash costs are “out-of-the-ordinary and very concerning” because they could come from large rate increases for consumers. (News & Record)• The documentary film “From the Ashes” that looks at coal in North Carolina will debut at a film festival in New York. (Salisbury Post)

UTILITIES: Natural gas-rich Louisiana is still unsure how the Trump administration’s energy policies will affect the state’s utilities. (The Advocate)

SOLAR:
A solar array at the University of Alabama’s stadium provides a learning opportunity for students and visitors. (Tuscaloosa News)
A Florida-based solar panel company has created window shutters for structures solar panels that do not fit on roofs. (CleanTechnica)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Supporters say a Tesla electric car charging station that is under construction in Little Rock will help fill “a gaping hole” in the company’s network of stations across the country. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette)

RENEWABLE ENERGY: A business columnist says despite the Trump administration’s push for fossil fuels, clean energy is still a good bet for investors. (New York Times)

COMMENTARY:
• A retired geologist who dedicated his career to the study of coal in Appalachia says coal production and mining jobs are unlikely to recover. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)• A retired coal miner says a bill under consideration by Kentucky lawmakers brings the state’s coal industry one step closer to the elimination of all state mine inspections. (Lexington Herald Leader)• Reducing the EPA’s efforts to promote a clean energy economy is a threat to Alabama, which relies almost entirely on federal money. (AL.com)• The RECLAIM Act being considered by Kentucky lawmakers cuts vital language from the original bill for coal-mining reclamation. (Lexington Herald Leader)• With the future of South Carolina’s Summer nuclear project uncertain, lawmakers should amend a House bill that shields utilities from financial responsibilities. (Post and Courier)